


Insubordination

by gebieterin



Series: You're in the army now [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Military, Alternate Universe - No Sburb/Sgrub Sessions, Caning, Corporal Punishment, Discipline, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-29 05:19:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16257467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gebieterin/pseuds/gebieterin
Summary: It had seemed unorthodox to Karkat at first, that the base commander himself would also have to find the time to correct his subordinates' behaviour personally. And it had taken the younger trolls some time to get over the ingrained response that “adult”, notwithstanding species, always meant more trouble than “pissing a colder blooded pre-adult troll off”. Karkat admitted to having been scared shitless the first time Ampora had sent him off for talking back to his commanding officer.





	Insubordination

The most humiliating thing about the whole affair was how they made you march straight to the base commander's office when you managed to really piss your commanding officer off. 

It was not a completely bad thing, since it kept the trollish officers in their little mixed rebel army from going all „old Alternian“ on their respective charges' asses, therefore keeping injury rates down. Still, it was humiliating to know that the human in command had most likely already been informed about the incident, had his assistant pull up Karkat's files. Again. Karkat idly mused how far he could stretch the time he needed to get to base command if he slunk there slowly before it would have any consequences. Well, additional consequences. He decided not to risk it and kept at a brisk trot.

The guard at the door, a muscular blueblood, shot Karkat a disbelieving glance when he stated his business through clenched teeth.

„Again, Karkat?“ He shook his head, more disappointed than sympathetic, and waved him on.

Karkat really wanted to find some choice words to let him know how unappreciated his concern was, but ranting at the guard would not really improve his situation now. Hands in pockets, he slunk onward into the building that housed the command central.

Hey, he managed to get here in time for English's shift. Again. He liked the human pre-adult well enough. Karkat gave him a closed-mouthed and long-suffering smile when Jake lead him to holding.

„Damn, Karkles, you make me lose my bet! I would not have expected you back here before next week!“ He laughed when he opened the holding cell for Karkat with a flourish, but still squeezed the troll's shoulder sympathetically.

„What, you have to fucking let me know these things, English. Keep me in your betting loop. How am I supposed to know when my being beaten will make you some sweet cash?“ Karkat kept his tone light, but still could see the human officer flinch. Jake shrugged an apology, but did not engage Karkat further. Though he knew that the guards on duty were not supposed to talk to him at all in this situation, it still stung a little.

It was so human, that little setup. Instead of letting your commanding officer just beat some sense into you at once, they made you wait some time, stew a bit, think about your transgressions, so to say. It had seemed unorthodox to Karkat at first, that the base commander himself would also have to find the time to correct his subordinates' behaviour personally. And it had taken the younger trolls some time to get over the ingrained response that “adult”, notwithstanding species, always meant more trouble than “pissing a colder blooded pre-adult troll off”. Karkat admitted to having been scared shitless the first time Ampora had sent him off for talking back to his commanding officer.

At least this army was not partial to publicly flogging perpetrators, unless there would be some really grave incident. The threat was there, but none of the new recruits had ever seen it implemented, though alleged earlier incidents made for urban legends among the older. 

Karkat was not even alone here today, Sollux was already perched on the low bench, eyeing him curiously over the glasses of his stupid bicoloured shades. Karkat huffed a laugh, but was still worried to meet his friend under those circumstances, because if anyone could run the risk of a public punishment just for the sheer amount of (mostly harmless) trouble he got in, it would be this pilot in training. He shoved at Sollux to make him move to the side so Karkat could slouch down beside him.

„Sol, I swear you are here more often than I am.“

Sollux gave a crooked smile, revealing crooked teeth. He spoke louder than was necessary between the two of them, and Karkat winced. „Thith time I think they are going for pthychological torture.” He winked at Karkat and nodded in Jake's general direction. “All my electronicth were confithcated, and I have been in here for _hourth!“_

Karkat severely doubted that; he had seen Sollux at breakfast in the mess hall not three hours ago. Even Jake, still within earshot of Sollux' yelling, just laughed. „Only just close to one hour, Captor!“ he yelled back. „Not even close to being enough to break you of your video game habit!“

Sollux just groaned and closed his eyes. Karkat patted his shoulder in sympathy. He knew Sollux did not like to be without anything to take his mind of his own thoughts.

“Come on Jake, can't you jutht give me an ebook reader at leatht? I will die of boredom here!” Sollux put just enough of a whine into the demand to make Karkat snicker.

Jake peeked his head into the narrow hall in front of the holding cell. “Then perish!” he joked. “Don't think I forgot what you did the last time I let you read on my device!” He disappeared again in the vague direction of his desk.

“Yeth well, be grateful I showed you how unthafe the WiFi pathword here wath”, Sollux huffed and crossed his arms. Karkat raised an eyebrow in a question, now more than curious what Sollux did (both then and to land here now). He had not even known that you could access the internet with one of the little reading devices.

Sollux' grin widened. “Tell me yourth and I tell you mine.”

“Not much to tell.” Karkat shrugged. “Ampora riled me up again and like the fucking seemingly masochistic tool I am, I responded in kind.”

Sollux just waved a vague gesture to make him go on. “Bit of friendly ribbing would normally land you kitchen duty, not here.”

Karkat felt a blush rising to his cheeks, not sure whether it still was residual anger or the beginning of embarrassment for being so easily irritated.

“Might be I called him a fucking casteist fishface out of place in any movement fighting for more equality because his blood ran too cold to be in any way sympathetic to the cause. Who only uses his military training on us younger recruits because he still enjoys bossing around lower blooded trolls.” Wow, thinking about it now, that really did sound bad. Worse than other transgressions that got him in trouble so far. Karkat flinched and buried his face in one hand with a low whine.

Sollux gave an appreciative whistle. “Damn.” Mortified, but still with a hint of compliment. “What did he do thith time to push you to risk thome 'corrective dithcipline'?” 

How could that asshole make air quotes look amused, Karkat wondered. He looked down to the suddenly very fascinating tile floor. Such nice squares, white and even. Sollux poked his ribs without mercy.

“Okay, stop, I'll tell you”, Karkat conceded batting his hands away. “It's stupid that I still fall for his bullshit.” He took on an affectation of his commanding officer's tone of voice. “He expressed his regret that we lost the Crimson Emperor so early and that Kankri was deemed unfit to ever take his place in the movement.” He looked back at Sollux with a snarl on his lips. “He also offered to help train me up for the role”.

“Wow. That'th just....wow.” Sollux shook his head in comprehension. 

Bringing up the fact that Kankri had to be institutionalized after two attempts at his own life after the spectacular public execution of their movements spearhead figure (incidentally, Vantas Prime) was bad enough (the live broadcast had left them all stunned, grieving and afraid). Kankri, still afflicted with the fear of traditional succession, had made it more than clear that stepping up to take this place himself was not an option. Callous as the acceptance by their leaders had seemed at first, Karkat understood enough to know that the movement would profit more from a martyr than a reluctant replacement. They had fought to leave the imperial policy of keeping two genetically mostly identical descendants on hand for replacement purposes behind them. Traditionally, the second batch even had to carry the same birth name as their adult counterparts and was subject to the exact same education, whether they shared the interests and skill set or not. The few adult trolls in their forces had switched sides for the express purpose of making life as an individual possible for their younger hatchclones, even if joining the fight might cut said lives, and their own, short. For any officer training the younger recruits to imply they should take pointers from it now was a low blow. But then, Cronus Ampora had never been too happy that his adult counterpart was decidedly against them and would raise no finger to defend his descendants, or would rather serve their heads to his empress on a plate. It made him lash out at the others regularly, even at Eridan. While on some level they understood, it was still not an excuse, had even gotten Cronus in trouble with his superiors more than once.

Still, if Karkat had enough self-discipline not to predictably rise to bait, Ampora would not have such an easy time getting him into trouble.

Karkat could see Sollux make an effort to turn the suddenly more glum mood with a slightly forced grin.

“Awww mine wath tame in comparithon. I only thlammed one of Makara's unit into a wall a bit.”

Now it was Karkat's turn to wave his friend on impatiently. Makara's recruits were _scary_.

Sollux showed him his most shit-eating grin. “Fucker should not alwayth pretend that hith flash-thtepping nonthenthe ith thomehow thuperiour to uthing pthionicth.”

“Wow. Did you just use as many sibilants as fucking possible in that one sentence only to mangle them to a gruesome death. One of these days I will be on Eridan's side and hold your arms behind your back while he knocks your dentition straight, see if I don't.” Karkat looked sternly at a snickering Sollux. “Really, Sol, only you would risk them putting a damper collar on you if you do not get a grip on yourself just so you can pitchflirt with Dave.” 

Even though Sollux wriggled his eyebrows suggestively, Karkat could tell that he was at least a bit worried about that possibility. Sollux face had briefly gotten nearer to the lighter grey of their recruit's uniforms. As practical as these new-fangled psychic dampers might be, few psychics actually volunteered to wear them. Didn't mean that none were wearing them, though.

“Eh, could be at leatht a bit quieter for a while,” Sollux mused philosophically. Communing with the dead, or rather having them commune with you, tended to make him a bit twitchy at best. Unreliable visions of possible futures even more so. Karkat was so glad that his mutant status did not come with unexpected psychic powers.

Jake returning spared Karkat the need to cheer Sollux up. “Vantas, the base commander will see you now.”

Karkat swallowed hard and got up. Sollux briefly squeezed his arm encouragingly and winked.

“Oh come on Jake, why doeth he get to go firtht, I have been bored here for hourth.”

Jake nodded mock-solemnly, steering Karkat into the hallway with a hand on his back. “Better get comfortable then, Captor. Colonel Strider is a busy man. Could take aaaall day until he has time to see you.”

Karkat snickered a bit when Sollux sank back with a groan.

***

Karkat was becoming more familiar with the short stretch of hallway in front of the base commander's office than a recruit should be. He knew this dance perfectly by now, wait behind the officer announcing him (“Vantas for you, sir.”) and being ushered in, having the door closed behind him softly. Standing at attention until the Colonel deemed him worthy of attention, not risking to raise his gaze over the top of the heavy broad desk, again wondering what the D. in D. Strider stood for (his favourite guess would get him flogged again for sure). Rumor had it that Strider's mother followed the more trollish tradition of giving her first- and second-born sons the same name. Karkat's age-mate Dave and his pre-adult hatch-mate Dirk had to take enough crap from the other recruits for their relation to the base commander that they did nothing to either refute or confirm that theory.

“At ease, private.” The eldest Strider's voice disrupted Karkat's musing calmly.

Karkat complied, hands clasped loosely behind his back. At least the older Strider did not sound too annoyed this time, but more resigned. Or Karkat was just not as afraid anymore, knowing what to expect.

“Again, Vantas? Is your back even fully healed from last week.”

Karkat looked down to hide the inappropriate urge to smile. Even through the resignation, he could hear genuine concern. The humans did not always take into account that trolls were quite a bit sturdier than their human comrades. Unfortunately, this did not mean that being disciplined was less painful for him. At least, he thought, not by much. Still, he appreciated the concern. 

However, even if the man were to use his full strength on him (which Karkat suspected he hadn't so far), he would still be less destructive than any higher blooded troll. And Strider Prime calmly discussing with him the psychological entanglements about flogging him, however mildly, in comparison to the public torture of his elder, had made Karkat squirm in discomfort until he all but begged the man to shut up and beat him already. He knew the difference between torture and military discipline. And it wasn't exactly as if the Alternian educational system tended to coddle its charges.

“Yes, sir.” Karkat nodded. It earned him an eyebrow raised over shades. How the human could see anything in the building with dark lenses was anyone's guess.

“And why are we here today again, Vantas.” 

Karkat hated Strider's neutral inflection with a passion. With every question asked this way, he made clear that the answer was already obvious. When Karkat had been through this for the first time, he had sniped that Strider damn well knew, with a message always sent ahead. He had learned that the base commander liked to hear all sides of a story, thank you very much, and did not really appreciate his snark. At all.

Therefore, not wanting to anger the man further, Karkat retold his version of the events as impassively as possible, including his newly-gained self-assessment that he might have really fucked it up this time. Still, he could not keep the angry edge out of his voice completely.

Strider just nodded, as if it was what he had expected.

“Tell me Vantas, do you not think that a good military training would be beneficial before engaging in combat.”

That seemingly out-of-context remark threw Karkat completely, as he could not see why he should doubt that. “I do think it would, sir.” 

Another nod. “And do you not think that Lieutenant Ampora has the necessary background to teach recruits.”

“I did not doubt his qualification!” Karkat gritted out, and felt a blush about his new outburst creep on his face. “Sir.” he added calmer, glaring at Strider.

“Then tell me this, Vantas: What happened before the two of you resorted to bickering like an old married couple.” Strider did not raise his voice by much, but there was steel under his words now.

Karkat's eyes widened. It had really been silly, foolish even. They had been training useless forms on their weapons, after running endless useless circles, and Ampora had been nagging him about his stance again and again. It had culminated when Ampora had unceremoniously swiped Karkat's legs from under him, his weapon then bruisingly close to Karkat's throat – because Karkat's stance had not been firm enough. Karkat had been so frustrated (though in hindsight more with himself) that he had reacted aggressively, cussing Ampora out and calling him names. It had shocked the violetblood enough to let him up. Karkat had been talking back before, but this was a complete new level. Ampora had warned him off once, clearly wanting to strike him and frustrated that he was not allowed to. They had escalated to yelling ever culminating insults at each other, under the shocked stares of the other recruits. It would have been amusing and even faintly caliginous, had they hated each other in that way. Without a concupiscent intent, it had just been embarrasing.

“I take it that you know what I mean, Vantas, but let me still spell it out for you: What do you think might happen when an enemy manages to knock you down on your ass?”

At least the colonel did not comment on the nature of the insults he and Ampora had traded. Karkat was silent for a moment, lips pressed to a thin line, then realized that he could sulk as long as he liked, but he would still have to answer. “Nothing positive, sir,” he admitted.

“That's right, kid. You could be very messily dead very swiftly. Do you think Ampora would take any joy from getting one of his recruits eviscerated on some battlefield because he would not practice the absolute basic moves with him.” It would have been easier on Karkat if Strider had been yelling, but this absolutely calm and reasonable tone chafed at him.

Karkat was not so sure that Cronus would not like to eviscerate him by his own self by now, but hearing it put like that still mortified him. It had been his fault, he had lashed out verbally in his frustration when Cronus had tried to help him in the only way he knew, teach him how he had most likely learned himself, with endless needling and insults, and less than gentle shoving and prodding, but teach him nonetheless.

Cheeks burning, he could no longer meet Strider's gaze and went back to looking down. However, this time the officer would not let him marinate in mortification in peace. He stepped from behind his desk to tip Karkat's head back up with a brief touch under his chin.

“No, private, eyes up here. Do you really think Ampora wanted to pull some hemocaste bullshit on you there?”

“I guess I misjudged his motives”, Karkat murmured. “But he still -”

Strider raised a hand to stop him there. “It is your right to question a thoughtless comment made in anger - in a respectful manner. If he still were to make casteist remarks, it would be your right to file a formal complaint. However”, he speared Karkat with glance so withering he had trouble not to shrink back a step, “I will not have you insulting your commanding officer in front of other recruits. In front of anyone, really. That is a level of insubordination that is completely unacceptable. You treated a superior officer with total disrespect, which is a punishable offense.”

Karkat had known where this was heading from the beginning, but still shuddered hearing it put so plainly. Not being able to hold on to his anger would not make this easier on him.

Strider's posture softened marginally. “Vantas. I know that you have the potential of a good fighter. Just as I know you are a good kid. But I also know that your mouth likes to get away from you and you severely lack in respect and obedience. And if it takes regular beatings to help you pull your head out of your ass, I'll do that. But I would vastly prefer it if you started to think before verbally abusing others. Not everyone here is out to get you.”

He looked on steadily until Karkat acknowledged this with the briefest of nods. And didn't that hurt on a completely different level. Karkat knew that his paranoia was narcissistic at best, that in most situation a perceived insult was not even aimed at him, or worse, that mostly he was the one to escalate about any conflict. He still doubted that Strider would manage to beat his insecurities out of him along with the disrespect. He did not doubt that the man would keep trying, though.

“Well, let's get this over with. Bend over the desk please, hands on the table.”

Karkat blinked in confusion. This was not how it usually went (heh, usually, he had a brief panicked moment of hilarity that he would ever come to describing being flogged on his bare back as something that happen 'usually').

Strider raised an eyebrow. “Does anything about a simple set of instructions confuse you, Vantas. Or would you like to extend your insubordination to my person?”

Karkat blanched and hurried to obey the man. Did Strider just pick up a wooden stick? Karkat decided that keeping his gaze on the tabletop was less confusing. Nice desk cover, pretty topographic map.

It was pure instinct that made him cringe when Stider let the implement he had picked up whistle through the air, even though it did not make any contact yet.

“Today, private, I hope to impress on you how unimpressed I am with your attitude. This,” another thankfully impact-less whistle had Karkat flinching, “ is a cane. It was a widespread form of punishment in schools administering corporal punishment in the early 20th century here on earth. Barbaric, of course. Still, said to be very effective.” 

Karkat could have sworn that the colonel was smiling sardonically, even though he did not dare to look over his shoulder to confirm that assumption. His heart was suddenly in his throat and he very much wanted to curl his hands around the edge of the desk to steady himself.

A light tap with the cane to his backside, either for aiming or warning, made Karkat brace himself. This time, the whistling warned him of impact, and the first stroke had him rocking to his toes, hissing a surprised breath at the initial sting and a string of profanities at the residual burn.

“Language, Vantas.”

Karkat sincerely hoped that it was his cussing that amused his tormentor, not the beating in itself.

He managed to keep quiet but for a huff of air and a wince at the second stroke. It took all the discipline he could muster not to turn and fight at the third. Wow, this was worse than a simple flogging. The fourth stroke re-kindled the pain and burning of a previous hit and turned it to a scorching kind of heat.

“I would appreciate if you could refrain from leaving claw marks in my desk, Vantas.”

With a huff of annoyance, Karkat flattened his fingers back on the table. His claws had made nice work of the soft desk cover, unnoticed by him.

“Three more and you'll be done,” Strider said, not unkind.

The next stroke hit just in the soft curve from buttocks to thigh and tore a pained wail from Karkat. Breathing hard, he swore he could hear his own teeth grinding when he clamped them around any other sound. He could no longer keep from snarling when the pain of the sting made his eyes water. He absolutely refused to disgrace himself with his tears staining the corporal's desk as proof of his humiliation. He made it through the last two strokes with only a soft pained grunt, dizzily wondering whether Strider had delivered these harder than before or if his backside was just sore enough by now to make it seem that way.

The cane was put on the table in front of Karkat, much to his relief. The pain and the adrenaline still had him sucking short breaths through clenched teeth and lean his weight on equally clenched fists. With a brief touch to his shoulder, Strider signaled him to straighten up again. Drawing a measured breath, Karkat blinked a few times to clear his eyes and looked down when he stood, but he doubted that he could fool the human much.

“Still with me, private?” Strider looked him over searchingly and Karkat bit out a quiet “Yes, sir”, still not raising his eyes. 

With a nod, Strider stepped back behind his desk. “I really hope that this will serve as a lesson you will not want to repeat without a layer of cloth protecting you.”

Karkat looked up with a panicked wince, swallowed and nodded. The threat was clear, _behave or next time you will get caned on your bare ass_. Nothing Karkat really wanted to risk, as he had a feeling that these stripes would already last him some days at least.

Karkat's nerves chose this very moment for an outburst of completely inappropriate curiosity. “Just please tell me you did not do this to your brothers when they were kids”, Karkat blurted out before he could get his mouth back under control. Blushing furiously, he looked down for the ground to open and swallow him. No such luck.

To his relief, Strider actually snorted. “The fact that they did not kill me in my sleep should be an indication here. And no,” Strider continued unprompted when Karkat so much as opened his mouth, “I also do not plan to use this on your pilot friend, relax.”

Karkat blushed at being so transparent. He dared to raise his eyebrows in question, because he was morbidly curious what fate awaited poor Sollux. 

Strider kept his face perfectly neutral. ”He did, however, land another recruit in the hospital, so I cannot leave it as harmless as letting him stew in holding until the evening”, he said regretfully.

Karkat's eyes widened. Sollux had not mentioned that Dave had to be put in hospital. Then again, chances were he did not even know yet. And wouldn't that be a guilt-trippy clusterfuck for Strider to exploit. And if he did exploit it, Dave could not be hurt too badly. Karkat's face must have shown his suspicion, because Stider's mouth quipped upwards ever so slightly on one side.

“Exactly. But you better think about yourself for now, Vantas. Go find Ampora and give him an apology”, Karkat felt his mouth curl as if he had just bitten into something bitter at the mere thought, “a sincere apology, Vantas. Don't sneer, you got him in trouble, too.” 

And that was a thought Karkat could not even begin to wrap his head around, whatever it might entail. Surely Ampora would not have to fear more than a stern talking to? Unfortunately, Strider did not eloborate further. He did, however, loom over his desk in a clear display of threat.

“If I hear any instructor complain about you for anything as much as a peep out of line again this week, you won't sit comfortably for the rest of the month. Have I made myself clear, private.” He looked at Karkat, one eyebrow raised, daring him to comment, until Karkat huffed what he hoped was a non-too petulant “Yes, sir”.

Strider nodded, quietly amused. “Dismissed.”

Karkat remembered to give a brief salute before he all but fled the office.

**Author's Note:**

> So, welcome to my rekindled obsession with Homestuck, and an "idea for a brief scene involving discipline" which left me with more than 4000 words and ideas for several other ficlets in the same AU *headdesk*


End file.
